Ouroboros
by Songbook12
Summary: There's a new girl in Jump a strange girl. Sometimes, strange is good. And sometimes, strange is very, very bad. This particular brand of strange leaves a trail of destruction behind her, a trail that goes on for many years and many lives, and has taken the lives of many people. This girl is powerful, lonely, confused, and proud- and that's never been a good combination.
1. Five Statues

**Hey there! This is my new story, which is linked to the listed stories below-**

**-Nightingale -finished-**

**-Nightshade -finished-**

**-Dark Shadows (sequel to Nightshade) **

**-A Golden Eyed Glitch -finished**

**So, if you liked those stories, and you want to know what the heck is going on, this one well answer thise questions.**

**Wait, no it doesn't. What am i even talking about?**

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**Ouroboros**

**Chapter 1- Five Statues**

**1:03 am, November 28, 2012**

The girl was walking down the deserted street, hands shoved in the pockets of her black jacket with gold designs on the shoulder, head bobbing to the rhythm of the song she was listening to. She pretended not to be able to hear the group of five men following her through her black headphones.

The men were following the girl down the deserted street, too absorbed in their stalking of her to notice how every streetlamp she passed under flickered and went out, only to come back on after she was out from under it.

"What idiot wears sunglasses this late at night?" one man snickered.

Another chuckled darkly, "What idiot walks into an alley this late at night?" their pace picked up.

The girl didn't miss a beat, silently answering them, _'What idiots __**follow **__this girl into an alley? Well, maybe they don't know who I am…' _she smirked, kicking a pebble with her black combat boots with dark gold metal toes. She knew she was pretty, and showing a little too much skin with her ripped jeans for them not to want to follow her- Hell, she was walking home alone at 1 in the morning, had headphones in, was seemingly out of it, AND just walked into an alley! Who wouldn't follow?

She was lifted off the ground and turned around by two men. They grouped in front of her; trapping her against the wall they shoved her into.

"You're a little dim, aren't you?" one asked, slightly irritated and confused that I was still smirking.

"I could say the same about you." I drawled lazily back before pulling off my shades with my free hand.

How could I resist?

"Friend Robin!" Starfire cried. I ran into the alley her voice had come from to see Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy clumped around the missing subjects… or, statues of them. Starfire flew over to me and latched onto me.

"Friend Robin, what could have done this to them?" She whimpered into my chest as she hugged me.

I hugged her tightly, "I don't know." I gently pried her off me and walked over to investigate.

Each was turned to stone, though there were too many details for this to just be some people being kidnapped and replaced with statues. Each had exact details, down to the number of eyelashes and teeth. Two of them had wrinkles on the arms of their jackets, like someone had grabbed it and pulled it down from their faces.

I sighed, pulling out my communicator and contacting the police, "We've found the missing people, though they aren't in a very… desirable condition. Could you bring their dentists, or at least their dental records?" This was the only way I could think of to prove that it wasn't them and that they hadn't been (somehow) turned to stone.

I turned to Beast Boy. He looked as though he was about to cry. _Terra._ The statues reminded him of how Terra had been frozen as a statue, then became unfrozen but seemed to have forgotten about him. In fact, she didn't want anything to do with him.

The police arrived minutes later with the records and dentists just as I had asked. I ordered the shaking dentists to check their teeth, getting a positive from each of them- if these were statues, then someone had managed to get a lot of details in. In face, I don't think it's even possible for them to get that so perfectly!

I observed their facial features again- each looked terrified beyond belief, almost as though someone was showing them the personification of their worst fears and nightmares. I shook my head. After the Brotherhood of Evil had been defeated, I thought things would get better. Apparently, not every villain had been tempted, and this villain had a unique way of getting rid of her targets.

"Let's get back to the T-Tower, guys." They nodded numbly and piled into the T-Car wordlessly.

**5:28 pm, November 29, 2012**

I ground my teeth together, "There's nothing! This villain- well, villainess, from what I can see, simply walked into the alley. Those five men followed her, and less than a minute later, she walked out again. There's no evidence to reveal her identity or any ties between her and her other victims!" I spat.

"Other victims?" Starfire asked hesitantly.

I sighed, "Yes. There've been other reports of people going missing all over the U.S. and then statues of them being found. There are no pictures of the girl without that outfit on or the sunglasses. She always appears at night, were the cameras can't get good details of her, and she always walks into the cameras blind spot with her victims behind her. The one connection is that all her victims are rapists, gangsters, or mob leaders. People with enough ties that they're disappearance will be noticed, but not enough for it to make the news. Though it will most likely make the news within the next week if she hangs out in Jump City."

Raven added dryly, "I did some research too, seems like you missed something- she seems to stay in the same area for about a month before moving on. She also seems to stay around areas with lots of water."

I thought about this for a moment, "I know this is going to sound crazy, but…" I stopped, clearing my throat, "I am the only one here who is kinda reminded of Medusa? From Greek mythology?"

Beast Boy- "Dude, I don't read Greek mythology!"

Starfire- "Who is this 'Medusa' you speak of?"

Raven- "It would make sense, what with the statues and the obvious fear on their faces… Some of them looked like they were trying to shield their eyes but she pulled their hands away."

Cyborg- "I dunno man… didn't Medusa have snake-hair?"

I addressed Cyborg and Raven, "Well, yeah, she had snake-hair, but I'm not saying she _is_ Medusa. I'm just saying, what if she can do what Medusa did? Turn people into statues?"

Cyborg and Raven nodded. Starfire spoke up again, "Friends, Beast Boy and I still do not understand. Who is this Medusa?"

"Medusa was a gorgon, a woman with snake for hair. If you looked into her eyes, you were turned to stone instantly. Robin thinks that this villainess may have the ability to do just that- minus the snake hair." Raven explained.

Everyone looked worried now, "I guess it would explain the sunglasses at night thing." Beast Boy murmured. I frowned as I looked at the time- 12:07.

"Alright guys, we should probably head off to bed… we'll need to get up early tomorrow to look for this girl. Maybe we can lure her out with some mob leader or something."

**12:49 pm, November 29, 2012**

I leaned against the railing of the top of the building I was on, desperate for some shuteye. I nearly groaned as I felt another presence on the roof (Snake senses. Don't knock it people!) I slid open one green snake-eye absently, eying the man who was turned sideways so I could only see the side of his mask. My stomach turned uncomfortably as I matched his appearance with another. I did not like that other, and he did not like me.

"Can I help you?" I asked drily. "Because if not…" my hand went up to play with the side of my sunglasses.

"Now, now, no need to be rash, Miss… what is your name again? I think I missed it."

"That would be because I haven't told you it." My eye slid shut as I became bored with this. Even _he_ wasn't worth missing my 'beauty' sleep. "Now cut the formalities crap or leave. I've got better things to be doing than sitting around gossiping."

"I saw you last night and I was… impressed. I have a job for you." Yeah right, impressed my ass! He knows who I am… why hasn't he tried to drag me back yet? False sense of security, maybe?

"I'm on my own side, mister, so lemme ask you this- will this attract a whole lot of unwanted attention?" My eyes were still closed in disinterest. Witness protection?

"Yes, at least, the way I want you to do it, trust me, it will." He replied smoothly.

"Alright then." I stood up and held out my gloved hand for when to shake. My exposed fingers protested from the cold as I pulled one hand out of my pocket. "You can call me Medusa. Got it?"

He chuckled darkly, "Slade." He finally turned to me, showing the orange side of his mask with a single grey eye. He firmly shook my hand.

"I want you to freeze a girl but I need to know… are you capable of turning your victims from a statue back to flesh and bone?"

"Easy. Don't usually do it, unless I accidentally freeze a kid or something, but, hey, why not?"

"Good. I want you to turn this girl to stone." He handed me a picture of a smiling girl with orange tinted skin, long cherry red hair, and green eyes. I raised an eyebrow,

"Is she even human? Or is she another one like me- half human?" Half-humans weren't rare where I came from… it was the humans that were rare. In our little scrap of the world, humans were like an endangered species- a lovely delicacy, like caviar. Though only the poorest people were forced to eat them.

"She's Tamaranean."

I nodded, "Thought so. Met her sister a couple of years back. Lovely statue, she was, though I unfroze her. It's unnerving to have a glaring statue in your living room for a month."

"How do you know it's this girl's sister?"

"Facial features." I answered vaguely. Don't need to tell him too much, for my own personal interest, of course.

"So, this is how I want you to do it…" Slade leaned in and told me the plan. I snorted,

"All I have to do I break the window, freeze her, and put this in her hand?" I said incredulously, looking at the orange disk with the black 'S' on it. I pressed the side to see a little flash drive. "What? Sending someone a love letter?" I said mockingly, before snapping it shut and saying,

"What's in it for me? I mean, sure, you get Robin as your apprentice, this Starfire chick gets unfrozen, but I don't usually stone-ify the GOOD guys. I usually only do that to people who harass me." HINT. HINT.

He smirked behind the mask, "Name your price." I thought about it, then said,

"You promise me that I'll be able to unfreeze this girl. I don't think she deserves this, despite your hatred for them." I said. I'm done with that part of my life. He chuckled.

"It's odd how you seem to be making such a career for yourself as a villain, yet have such a soft heart."

I turned away, my eyes flashing, "I'm on my own side, and I don't care about who I freeze. I care about the people that the statue leaves behind. Now, is this a deal or what?"

He extended his hand and we shook hands for the second time that night.

"When am I doing this?"

"No better time than the present, wouldn't you say?" he answered.

I blinked, then shrugged, "I'm game."

Minutes later, when the clock chimed once, a scream pierced the air like a gunshot in the Titans Tower, so short that no one was sure whether or not it had been a phantom echo from a nightmare. All doubts were dissolved when Robin opened her door and shouted, "Starfire!"

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**Dun-dun-dun!**

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**~Songbook12**


	2. The Message

**I don't really know what to say.**

**I GOT THAT SUMMERTIME SUMMERTIME SADNESS!**

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**Chapter 2- The Message**

"Starfire!" I shouted. I stood, frozen in the door, and took in Star's room. The window was shattered, glass sprinkled all over the floor, and the Star…

Star was backed up against the wall, trying to shield her eyes with here hands out in front of her as thought to keep something away. In one of her hands was a little disk with a black 'S' on it.

"Slade." I snarled. Gasps behind me signified Raven, BB, and Cyborg's arrival. I whirled around, "He did this. He got that girl and got her to do this."

Raven walked forward, almost in a trance, and touched Star's cheek. She murmured an incantation, and Star glowed briefly before Raven was tossed backwards, almost of the window.

I turned my back on Raven, looking at Star's statue.

"Guys… you might want to see this." Raven's colorless voice informed us. We ran over to see the girl- the statue girl standing on the beach, just standing, waiting for us to notice her. When we did, she saluted us and jumped into the darkened waters, disappearing.

"Titans, G-"

"Robin!" Raven interrupted. "She was only there to scare us. She wouldn't be there if she didn't think she could get away. She's wearing all black- it'll be too difficult to look for her at night. Just… wait until sunrise. Then we can go after her." She pleaded. I bowed my head slightly, agreeing.

I was the last one to leave the room. I took one last look at my long-time crush, '_I'll get whoever did this to you, Star. I promise. I'll make them pay.'_

**1:13 am, November 30, 2012**

I slid out of the darkened waters, relishing the feel of being human again. I idly watched as the scales on my fingers sunk into my skin. The transformation from snake to human was always something I delighted in. Very helpful for escapes, not so helpful if you're being attacked in the water. It's a bother to swim with clothes like this on. Good thing I'm a good swimmer in both forms.

"You're the new girl in town, aren't you?" a male voice asked me. I looked over, still perched on the wooden dock railing. A man was leaning in the shadows of the building behind the docks.

"Depends. Who's asking?" I replied smoothly.

"Obviously, I am. Expecting someone else?"

"Eh, you never know when Karma's gonna come up and bite you in the ass…" I said with a shrug.

He walked forwards, finally coming out of the shadows fully. I gave him a nod, "Nice mask." He had a grey skull mask with a red x on it, darker grey gloves, and a black bodysuit with another red x on it.

"So… you're a villainess?" he asked.

"Nope. I don't do sides, my high self preservation senses won't let me." I told him in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm a loner."

"I saw you getting a job from Slade earlier." He said, taking another step closer.

"Yeah, apparently new people are of a lot of interest here. I take jobs when I want to, though I figured for this guy, I'd better just take it now to save me a lot of grief in the future. I'm taking a wild guess here- he's one of those creepy, seemingly undefeatable villains? Every towns got one, heroes never have been good with the whole permanent disposal thing, have they?"

"No, they haven't, especially not these heroes. They've gotten better; they recently froze the Brotherhood of Evil. Baby steps, right?"

I snickered, "Right. Anyways, why are you here? Just curious?" I highly doubted that.

"Hm, for now I am. The name's X. Red X."

I smirked, my sunglasses glinting from the reflected light on the water. "I guessed." I chuckled, gesturing to his suit. "Medusa, for obvious reasons."

"Not your real name then?" he shook my hand firmly, holding it for longer than necessary.

"Is Red X _your_ real name?" I pulled my hand back and inspected the red x now stuck to my gloves.

"Point taken."

I held my hand up, showing the palm to him, "Care to explain?"

"If you need me, when the Titans come after you because trust me, they **will**, what with Boy Wonder's love for the alien girl, just press it and it'll give me your location."

"In exchange for…?" I let my sentence trail off, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, good, you're a smart one. I need to get some Xenothium, and you're the perfect distraction. Once I'm all powered up, I'll come help you with them."

I frowned and tried to peel it off, only succeeding in pulling the glove off my skin a little, "Thanks, but no thanks. I can see this getting a little… nasty for me."

"Which is nastier- you sleeping on the streets were you could be ambushed, or you sleeping on a bed in someone's hidden, underground apartment?"

I chewed my lip a little, internally having a war with myself. He waited patiently, obviously understanding the 'loner-only-on-your-own-side' thing and then the self-preservation that told me he was right. I finally yielded,

"Fine." I snapped. Half of me was screaming that this was a bad idea; the other half was convinced this was the right choice. I felt as though I was being torn in two.

"Follow me," he murmured, melting into the shadows. I followed him easily as I usually slept during the day and my night vision was unparalleled. It was easy to follow him, even with his black body suit. Whenever he did disappear from view, I just utilized my heightened senses and followed the sound of his swishing cape.

He stopped moving and waited for me to catch up. We were in a dark alleyway, completely deserted and small enough that we wouldn't be able to stand as we did, shoulder to shoulder, if I wasn't so petite. He went around to the other side of the dumpster, where we were blocked from the view o anyone at all, and pressed a small button under a fake dumpster (real dumpsters reek of decay and mold. Not to mention trash.) and a panel opened next to it. He hopped it and held out a hand to help me down. I took it, being a short girl of 4'6, and he wrapped his other arm around me waist and gently set me down on the cold, slightly wet concrete. I could hear droplets of water dripping into small puddles on the floor. Red X pressed another button and the trap door snapped shut.

"I built it in a blind spot. You wouldn't be able to see us go in unless you were standing on the dumpster itself." He told me as he led me along by the hand. I attempted to pull it out of his grip, but he tightened his hold on my hand, "If you've got the kind of eyes I think you've got, even though you can see now, the light will blind you, with or without those sunglasses." He tugged me through another passage. I sniffed the air and scented three thing-

There were three passageways; one smelled one deep earth and a dead end, the one next to it of water, and the last one of open space. He led me down that the first one and I questioned him,

"Why are we going to the one with a dead end?"

"It's a doorway- if the Titans were to find this place, they'd be able to pick up the same things you did and they'd head into the third tunnel. This one has an impenetrable, undetectable door at the end."

I nodded, "Clever."

"Ready?" he asked me, his hand on a piece of stone. He pressed something when I nodded, then took off his mask and it scanned his face, tongue, and eyes. I giggled when it scanned his tongue.

He put his mask back, "Well, the goody-goodies would never cut off someone's tongue just to get into his hideout, would they?" I shook my head 'no', still laughing. My laughter echoed off the stonewalls, creating an enchanting echo effect so it sounded like thousands of happy girls were laughing. I stopped suddenly, the laugh sticking in my throat. Did I sound like that? Happy and pleasant and… God forbid, _pretty?_ I wrinkled my nose.

"Don't like your laugh much, do you?" he guessed. "Brace yourself." He warned absentmindedly. The rock wall slid open to show blinding light. I let out a small shriek, shutting my eyes and turned my head away. I felt Red X's arms around me as he _picked me up._

I smacked his chest, "Um, hello? What're you doing?"

"Well, I'd rather not guide you down the many, many steps I have here. Carrying you is much easier." He replied simply. I huffed and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"The moment I can see straight, you put me down." I ordered.

"No promises, princess." He chuckled. I nearly growled.

"You're infuriating."

"I try. Robin seems to think so too. He simply does not understand when I tell him I'm on my side, not the 'good or bad' he has cut out. I think he put me in bad though, so."

"Apparently, self-preservation and self-serving traits are frowned about by heroes everyone." I snickered, "No wonder they're always dying early."

"I wonder what the poor little birdy is doing without his beloved." Red X wondered out loud.

**1:15 am, November 30, 2012**

I stared at the ceiling of my room, desperate for sunrise. Then we could start looking for this girl, the one who took away Starfire. I will make her change her back if it's the last thing I do… Slade's disk started buzzing in my hand before popping open to document came up. I clicked on it, throwing all caution to the wind and read the message on it.

Robin,

I hope you've noticed the new girl in town, Medusa. She's very smart, she agreed to do what I asked her to immediately. She had an interesting price for her services, but one that I was willing to pay.

She is able to turn Starfire back into flesh and bone, but will only do so once I tell her to do so. The price for your dear alien's freedom is simple- you come to work and train under me as my apprentice. Feel free to tell anyone you wish about this note, Starfire cannot be unfrozen by anyone but Medusa herself.

I expect a response by 12:00 am December 2, 2012. You have 48 hours, Robin. Choose wisely.

Slade

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**AND THE PLOT THICK- oh shit, caps is still on... eh, whatever. **

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**see what I did there?**

**~Songbook12**


	3. Snake Eyes

**HI!**

**I need your reviews, I need your time, When everything's wrong, you make it right~**

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**Chapter 3- Snake Eyes**

I blinked, frustrated, "Why is this taking so long?" I wailed, clawing at my sunglasses and blinking as I continued to attempt to look around. My sunglasses fell to the floor. I let loose another frustrated growl as I could still only see faint silhouettes. I heard a startled gasp.

"Um… Red X? Are you… all right? I didn't freeze you, did I?"

"No…" he murmured. I could feel him come closer through the vibrations in the ground,

"X?" I asked uncertainly as I was backed up against the wall, with nowhere else to run to.

"…Your eyes" he whispered, his ungloved hand reaching out to stroke the area just under my eye. I flinched, straining away from his touch. He carefully put a finger under my chin, tilting my face up to get a better look at my eyes.

"You can't freeze me if you can't see, can you?" he asked, his breath caressing my cheek. I shook my head mutely. "Can you still use your powers?" Pale green scales lifted out of my skin around my eyes, the colors soon solidifying and some turning gold to testify to my unspoken words before I allowed them to sink back under my skin.

"Wow…" he said, his voice soft. My vision began to return, corners becoming sharper.

"X, my vision is-" I stopped as he continuing staring at me, "Where's your mask?" I manage to gasp before my vision returned fully and X turned to stone with his finger still under my cheek. My eyes glowed as a thin, green thread swam out of his slightly opened mouth and into mine. I shuddered and quickly stood on my tiptoes and breathed the mist back into him. He slowly became human again. When the change was done, I was already across the room, summoning my sunglasses and watching idly as my crests (an ouroboros and an auryn, the family crests) on the sides glowed and the skittered across the floor and up to my waiting hand. I slid them back on, mentally sighing at the extra layer of protection it gave me from the rest of the world. I kept my back turned to him.

"Sorry. I… your eyes were so…" he trailed off, scratching the back of his uncovered neck.

"Weird?" I finished. "Yeah, I'd guessed."

"Guessed?" he saw my little slip-up.

I replied flippantly, "Haven't you ever read the myth about Medusa? When she looks in the mirror, the same thing that happened to everyone else happens to her- she turns to stone. I've never seen my own eyes."

"Never?"

"Never." I confirmed, still not facing him as I looked for his mask. I finally found it, along with his gloves and boots. I picked it up and handed it to him, "You might want to wear these. Just in case." I didn't look him in the eyes, still, and suddenly found myself in the same position I'd been in just minutes before- his finger under my chin, tilting my gaze up so my strange eyes could meet his emerald green ones, despite the fact that they didn't really meet.

I couldn't help but take in the tanned skin, even with all that time behind the mask it was still tan somehow, tousled black hair, the sprinkling of freckles across his cheeks and nose, and those endless green eyes with flecks of hazel in them. I took in a shuddering breath when his hand rubbed up and down my arm comfortingly,

"Your eyes are green." He told me simply. He paused, "Hey, what if, next time you come in here and your eye-powers are shut off, what if I took a picture of your eyes? I'll look at it first, of course, to make sure it won't freeze you or anything, then if it doesn't freeze me you can get a look at yourself!" he grinned, his white teeth glinting- holy hell, I thought that only happened in those crappy toothpaste commercials!

"Hm, how about… no."

"C'mon, what could go wrong?"

"Lot's of things. You could trick me and not check and I could get frozen." I said simply, glad that my sunglasses hid my true emotions that only my eyes portrayed- longing. But I didn't know this guy, and don't be tricked into thinking I trust him- I don't.

_Yes, you do._

I don't! Honest!

_Liar._

Man, I'm screwed; even my THOUGHTS are calling me out! Is this my conscience, or just some suppressed part of me?

I was ripped out of my thoughts by Red X grabbing my and tossing me over his shoulder.

"Hey! What gives?" I yelped, pounding my fists against his back uselessly. He didn't respond and I was stuck letting him carry me through his very large underground lair.

This is frustrating.

And _boring._ We've been walking- well; he's been walking- for like, 10 minutes! Couldn't he have given me my music- wait, he never took that! I shoved my hand in my right pocket, the one I always kept my iTouch. I frowned when my hand came up empty.

"I took your iTouch from you and shut it off. Didn't want it to give off a traceable signal so the Titans could track me."

"Oh look, he speaks." I drawled sarcastically. Much to my surprise (and horror- lots of horror) he responded by _biting my leg._

_I_ responded my smacking the back off his head. He chuckled and adjusted his grip in one quick, fluid motion so one second I was staring at the receding door to what I assumed was the living room, and the next he was carrying me bridal style with my ear next to his heart.

"Where are we going?"

"To a room."

"Care to elaborate?" I asked sarcastically, crossing my arms across my chest. He choose to focus on the task at hand, calling the elevator, then responded,

"We're going down."

"You've got an _elevator?!_ How many floors have you got?" I cried.

He smirked down at me, his dark hair flopping into his mesmerizing bright green eyes. "A little less than Titan's Tower."

"Overkill, man… I'm sorry, but I gotta ask- do you have a swimming pool?" I joked, poking him in the chest.

"Yes, actually."

"…Oh."

Red X smiled and stepped into the elevator. I stared at him intently, words perching on the tip of my tongue, ready to take flight. He didn't even look at me,

"Spit it out, then."

"You look kinda… familiar. I don't usually forget things like this, but… were you ever, by chance, in Gotham?"

My muscles stiffened at her question. Should I tell her?

"Animals can tell when people are lying. I've found that snakes are especially good with this. That, or I was born with an already adept bullshit detector." She said casually, though a caught the slightest hint of anger in her tone. She didn't like being lied to, obviously. I wouldn't either if I could call people out on their lies so easily as she says she can.

"Yes." I expected her to prod me for more details until she annoyed it out of me, but she didn't. She only nodded and accepted my admittedly evasive answer.

"Thought so…" she murmured through a yawn, starting to nod off. She snapped herself awake, explaining, "Haven't slept in a few days, no biggie." I stared at her as the elevator doors slid open.

"In that case…" I jabbed another button, the second to last floor, and we went down another twelve floors.

"That," she said, pointing to the buttons, "is an unnecessary amount of buttons. And an unnecessary amount of floors." She stifled another yawn.

I shrugged, "You can sleep in my room. You obviously need it. How much sleep did you get last time you slept anyways?"

She squinted, "Um, I think I'm running on about 2 hours from a week or so ago… I lost count at the last time when I ate, which would be…" she paused, "Yeah, I probably haven't slept properly in about a month." I glared at the ceiling and said slowly,

"You haven't eaten a full meal or slept properly… in a month."

She gave me a funny look, "Well, yeah, that's pretty good for me. Don't most people do the same?"

I turned my head to look at her so fast that my neck snapped a little and she winced, "No that's not normal! You're supposed to get eight _hours_ of sleep a day, not eight _minutes_, and three meals a day! No wonder you weigh so little!"

She huffed, "Whatever. It doesn't matter, anyways. I've been doing this for years; I trained myself to do it so when I got into a rough spot I would still be able to fight if need be. Though there isn't usually a need for that…"

I walked briskly down the hall to my room and opened the door. I dropped her onto my bed, amused at her reaction to the silken sheets. It was like she'd never seen something like it before- though she probably hasn't. Funny how someone who is so intelligent and smart knows so little of the luxuries of the world… I grabbed one of my old pairs of silken pajamas, suddenly glad that I kept them, and handed them to her.

"Change into these. I'll come back in a few minutes with some food and water." Before she could reply, I turned and left the room, closing the door firmly behind me.

I examined the thing he had given me. What are these? I thought back to a book I had read once that described something like these, so they were probably…

"Pajamas…" I tried the word out, frowning as it fumbled of my tongue. We called them sleeping clothes were I came from, but whatever. I shrugged off my jacket, letting it pool on the large bed I was sitting on. I left my black tank top on and pulled on the soft button up shirt. It was a little, well a LOT, big on me. I left the buttons undone while I untied the laces of my combat boots and pulled them off. I unbuttoned my jeans, which were genuinely ripped on the knees and lower legs. I pulled on the comfortable silk pajama pants. I peeled off the ankle socks, wrinkling from the smell. I really needed to wash my clothes.

The door opened and X came in just as I pulled my hair out of its braid, letting the soft, curly waves tumble over my shoulder. He stopped, looking stunned for a minute before he walked in and set the warm food on the bedside table next to me. He took a steaming mug off the silver tray and offered it to me. I frowned and stirred the contents with my finger.

"What is it?"

"Which part, the white stuff or the drink?"

"All of it." I sniffed it. "It smells delicious!" I nearly moaned. He laughed and sat on the bed next to me.

"You've never had hot chocolate before?" I shook my head no.

"I've never seen it." I paused.

He laughed a little louder this time, "Yeah, they're pajamas. These white things," he pinched one of the white things between his thumb and forefinger, "are called marshmallows." He popped it into my mouth and, out of surprise, I chewed it and swallowed it, my eyes widening as I ate it. I giggled a little.

"It's chewy!"

I smiled at her childlike delight in the hot chocolate. She eagerly took a sip, and then let out a small shout as the hot liquid burnt her tongue. She gasped a little as she fanned her mouth, trying to ease the bothersome pain.

"I can't believe you've never once had hot cocoa."

She looked at me in confusion, her aching tongue forgotten, "Hot cocoa?"

I chuckled, "Sorry, I forgot you weren't familiar with that. Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are the same thing."

"Oh." Was her genius reply as she looked at the hot cocoa again, her head slightly tilted to the side. She looked at me again.

"Can I try something?" she asked hesitantly, setting her mug aside and drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them.

"Sure, I'm game."

She carefully pulled off her sunglasses. She stared me straight in the eyes and waited for me to turn to stone…

And I didn't. She smiled, obviously pleased.

"You had a theory about something?" I questioned as she put her sunglasses on the table and taking her mug in her hands again. She hummed in ascent as she cautiously sipped her cocoa. I waited for her to elaborate.

"I've unfrozen someone before, actual, I've done it a lot, and for one of them my sunglasses were off. She didn't turn into stone- until I got irritated and I wished she would be a statue again. She became stone instantly. I wanted to see if it was because she was alien, or because I could control what happened the second time I looked into the same person's eyes. I'm glad it did. Now I don't have to sleep with my sunglasses on."

I raised my eyebrows; "You seriously would've slept with them on?" she nodded, sipping her cocoa. I smiled and took the mug from her. I blew on it to cool it a little before taking a sip.

"Hey! That's mine!" she reached over to grab it and I leaned back, still drinking her cocoa. Then, I turned it upside down and only a small drop dripped out- I'd chugged it all. She looked skywards and raised her arms above her head and wailed, "Nooooooo!"

I laughed and put the mug on the table before handing her a plate of homemade mac & cheese (7 types of cheese and 3 types of bread sprinkled on top as breadcrumbs. Delicious!), "Eat before it gets cold."

She looked at me, her hypnotizing eyes conveying her confusion better than her stoic facial expressions, "But I'm already full from the hot chocolate." She objected, handing me the plate. I leaned closer to her, letting our noses brush and whispered,

"Eat the food. Now. You're waaaaaay past Robin thin, and that's saying something. And it's not saying anything good, Princess." She snorted but still took the food, eating a few bites before pushing it away, clutching her stomach.

"Tooooo fuuuulllllll…." She moaned, burying her face in the pillow. I chuckled deeply and went to change.

"Look at your own risk." I warned with a smirk. I don't know her that well, but I can already tell a few things about her- she's not used to kindness and she can't even recognize it for what it is, she's generally suspicious until she's sure you aren't a threat, she doesn't know many of the luxuries of life, she's not good at taking orders, and most importantly- she'd never turn down a dare.

So that's how I knew she'd turn and look anyways with those glimmering green eyes of her's a see me half-naked. Or maybe completely naked, if I can get out of this bodysuit fast enough.

I already had the bodysuit and my boxers off when I heard her shift on the bed and gasp. She shrieked a little and I heard a muffled 'thud' as she fell onto the carpeted floor. I walked over to her and crouched next to her, purposely invading her space. I looked her in the eyes, faking innocence as I pulled her closer than she needed to be to me and helped her to her feet. Her face was practically on fire as I leaned close and asked, "What? I'm not _bothering_ you, am I?"

Her eyes glared angrily at me, somehow still keeping the spellbinding allure even through the irritation. "Are you trying to _seduce_ me?" she accused, sounding incredulous.

I lowered my face even closer to her's and breathed in her ear, "Who, _me?_ Of _course _not. That would be… ungentlemanly."

"Last I checked, you were on your own side. Being polite isn't the first thing to occur to someone who is out for himself, is it?" she shot back. I grinned.

"Smart girl." I spun her like you always see the guy do in the movie- the dip move? Whatever. I'm using it. "Are you always this smart in everything? Other than luxuries in life, of course."

She smiled dazzlingly, "I don't pretend to be." Then she gracefully slipped out of my arms, doing some crazy acrobatics thing. I'm pretty sure human bones should NOT be able to do that, but… there she was, twisting and winding herself around my arm the over my shoulder like a snake-

Oh yeah. Snakes… Medusa… right.

She hopped on the bed, eying me though very careful not to let her eyes stray from my face, "You don't sleep in the nude, do you?"

I grinned a said, "I do now!"

I got a pillow to the face.

It was worth a shot.

* * *

**Medusa does have weaknesses, before I get called out on her blatant Mary Sue-ness. She can't stand to be touched (she was abused as a child), she's extremely paranoid, and she's very violent. **

**Very violent.**

**And tends to kill a ton of people and not feel bad. Keep this in mind.**

**She acts trusting because she has a crush on X. Other people she doesn't trust as much.**

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**~Songbook12**


	4. Pitch Pipe

**Lalala...**

* * *

**Chapter 4- Pitch Pipe**

**10:30 am, November 30, 2012**

"Alright. We need to find her, so Kid Flash and Jinx- I want you to search all town for any signs. All right? Aqualad, search the sea; she last escaped by jumping into the ocean. Beast Boy, check for anything not usually there in the earth or underground lairs and caves. Avocet will come with you." Everyone nodded and parted to go to their respective jobs. Except Avocet.

"Robin… what did you say this girl's name was?" She asked, worry glinting in her green eyes behind her mask.

"She's called Medusa. I've never heard of her before, she must be a new villainess-"

"She's not a villain. More like… a rogue gone loner. I know her. She helped me once, a long while ago. I was in a group of sorts with her and some others." She frowned a little at the thought, then continued,

"She probably just felt threatened by Slade and agreed to do the job if she was allowed to unfreeze her. She wouldn't freeze anyone who didn't deserve it, trust me. She's got very, very strong self-preservation skills and doesn't choose sides because one side always loses, and she doesn't like to face the consequences of a losing side." Avocet explained. My eyes widened,

Robin's hands curled into fists, "So Slade was bluffing… he doesn't control her at all."

"Hell no! Controlling Medusa is like saying you can control your growth spurts- it's impossible! She hates taking orders. In fact, if she interprets something as double crossing from him, even one measly sign, you'll end up with an unfrozen Starfire and a Slade statue on your doorstep!"

I smiled, "Do you know how to get her out of wherever she's hiding?"

"OK- first things first- Medusa doesn't hide. Don't say that to her, she will rip your head off. She's always in the shadows, so it doesn't feel like hiding to her, it's just a knee-jerk reaction. You always turn the lights on when you enter your room; she always turns the lights off. Some for fear of the dark, her for fear of the light. And yes, I know how to call her." She pulled something out of her boots. It was a… pitch pipe, and a very complicated one at that. It had an ouroboros on one side and an auryn on the other.

"What, do you just play something on it and she'll come?"

"It's a specific tune that she taught me. It's supposed to bring nearby statues to life to do whatever you want, but since I'm not Medusa, it doesn't work for me. That or I'm playing it wrong, like she always says I am."

I nodded, "Alright. Go get her and bring her back here, ok? I'll call the other searching Titans once you've got her."

**10:45 am, November 30, 2012**

I yawned, blinking my snake eyes as I nuzzled closer to the warmth next to me. It took me all of three seconds to realize- a) this isn't my bed b) I don't have a bed c) this warm thing- not blankets d) said warm thing is currently holding me hostage in his sleep.

I carefully lifted Red X's heavy arm off me as much as I could and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. X grunted in his sleep and pulled me closer to him, his grip even tighter as he rested his head in the crook of my neck. I sighed lightly. '_Well this is awkward… I really hope he wakes up sometime soon.'_ I thought as X adjusted his grip on my again, twisting out legs together and practically laying on top of me. '_Oh God, I'm going to die. I'm going to be suffocated or something. Yay.'_ I sighed again, this time a little louder,

"Man, for a guy who's supposed to always be on guard, you're a pretty deep sleeper." I told his unconscious form in hopes that he'd wake up.

"No comment? Nothing?" I asked his still sleeping form. I warned him, "If you drool on my neck I will turn you into glass and smash you into itty-bitty pieces."

His eyes opened, "You can turn people into glass?"

I'm not going to lie- if I'd been able, I probably would've jumped. I answered smoothly, "I can turn you into something that can be turned into glass."

"Cool." he said before yawning and hugging me to his chest like you would a teddy bear. Our noses were centimeters apart as he informed me with a smirk, "I'm going to sleep. Hope you don't mind."

I was about to respond when I heard something. It was a very, very familiar tune…

"Avocet!" I gasped and struggled to free myself of X's clutches. When he finally relinquished his hold I changed super quickly into my now clean clothes. I don't know when, but he washed them I some point and I'm very grateful for that.

"I need to get up to the surface, please!" I told him. He nodded and led me the opposite direction from the elevator we took yesterday. We came to another elevator, this one with more buttons. He presses the top one and we started going up, this time much faster than yesterday's elevator.

"This one is a one-way trip, you can't call it from the surface, you can only call it if you're in the underground lair." He told me. The elevator dinged and I stepped out,

"Later X!" I called before breaking into a sprint and running towards the sound. He didn't follow due to the fact that he was still in his pajamas.

I ran faster and faster until I was practically flying. I did a quick check of myself- he had returned my iTouch and headphones, I could feel it's reassuring weight in my jacket, I had my sunglasses on, thank God for that, I had everything I needed.

I turned into the alley were I screeched to a stop- I saw Avocet, my 'friend', but there was also another unfamiliar boy. I immediately skimmed my eyes over him and unconsciously stepped back a little.

His eyes remind me of father's…

I shook my head to clear myself of that terrifying thought.

"Medusa!" Avocet cried and ran over to me, "Come on! I need to take you somewhere." I took a step away from her,

"Who's she?" I asked, my gaze narrowed- not that they could see, thanks to the sunglasses. I trusted Avocet, yes, but only to an extent. And that extent was barely farther than how far I can throw her… and my upper arm muscles are lacking, trust me.

"He's a friend of mine. His name is Beast Boy. He's not going to hurt you." She reassured me. I nodded after some consideration- it's not like I can't just freeze them if I feel threatened- and allowed Beast Boy to grab my hand with a suppressed shudder at the contact and Avocet's hand. He shifted into a large bird thing and flew me towards Titans' Tower, and Avocet flew below us as a bird of some sort.

We flew through a window in the Titans Tower. I stifled a growl as I took in all the Titans. I turned to Avocet, "You would be a Titan, wouldn't you?"

She shrugged, smiling a little. "Robin offered me a spot. I don't stay with them, I just hang out in the circus. Still mostly loner."

"Can't be a loner if you're part of a group." I reminded her idly, taking in the amount of people here. "So, what, you want me to unfreeze the girl?"

"Starfire, yes." Robin said stiffly, obviously not liking me- or my attitude. I shrugged,

"No can do. I've got a deal to honor. Sorry."

"You know, Slade is under the impression that he controls you." Avocet said with twinkling eyes, "Stupid, stupid man." She laughed.

I frowned, "When did he say THAT?"

Robin took out the chip and opened up the document. My eyes narrowed, "How do I know you aren't just trying to set me up?"

"Are your mysterious snake senses tingling, Medusa?" Avocet asked mockingly.

I really did growl this time and I said, "Oh, he did not say he controlled me..." I snarled. "Fine. I'll unfreeze her. But then I'm leaving to go take care of a certain, unlucky bastard."

Avocet grinned, "Aw, I knew you'd come around!"

"Shut it, idiot."

Avocet gasped, "Ouch, that hurt, Medusa! Right…. About… here!" she said, pointing to her leg goofily. I rolled my eyes,

"Let's just get this over with."

Robin led me up to Star's room. I hesitated before sighing, "Man, this is gonna hurt like a son of a bitch… not to mention she's going to attack me afterwards…" I muttered, stalking in. I pulled off my black fingerless gloves and set them on the bed. My ouroboros and auryn 'tattoos' writhed on my skin, starting to glow as I took off my sunglasses and looked into Starfire's horrified eyes. Mine began to glow as the green mist drizzled out of my mouth and wove slowly over to hers. As the first bit entered, I bit my tongue momentarily to stifle the groan of pain. As more of Starfire's 'soulmist', as Avocet so nicely referred to it as she explained what I was doing to the gathered Titans, came out of my mouth, the greater the pain.

Pain wracked my body as the last of the mist left me and I fell to the ground on my knees before standing up again. Then the large waves of pain assaulted me as she slowly returned to flesh and bone, color returning to her grey figure. When she was fully alive, I was thrown back into the wall from the force of the spell I'd used. I grunted as the breath was knocked out of me. Starfire looked stunned for a moment before her gaze fell on my form and she lunged at me.

My instincts pretty much took over at this point. I kicked her in the lower stomach after dodging all the green things she shot at me and she staggered back, clutching her jaw. Her eyes glowed green as she prepared to shoot another green thing at me. I flipped backwards to avoid all the hits. She was about to punch me and I was preparing to catch her undoubtedly strong punch, which would most likely break my arm or something, when Robin grabbed her elbow.

"Starfire, stop!"

She whirled to face him, surprise written all over her face, "But, Friend Robin, she-"

"SHE is right here, and SHE just unfroze you. I guess you didn't stop and think about why no one else was attacking me, huh?" I spat. "You know, you reacted just like your sister did. I beat her, even without turning her back into stone. Nasty girl. Guess it runs in the family."

Her eyes glowed again, "I AM NOTHING LIKE MY SISTER!" she shouted angrily.

I smirked, "No, obviously not, because you didn't wait for me to explain. Well, I've got bigger fish to fry than one pathetic excuse for a Tamaranean, so… later, Titans." I saluted them and headed for the still broken window. Someone grabbed my upper arm and I stiffened, preparing myself for the blow. I remembered where I was, blinking to clear my eyes of the blurred castle walls and the blood- my blood- and I turned to see a green skinned boy,

"Aren't you going to stick around for a bit? Maybe we could help you with Slade." He offered with a smile. I shrugged him off,

"Thanks, but no thanks. I work alone." I said curtly.

"Aw, c'mon,!" Avocet said pleadingly. I glared at her,

"No."

"Is Medusa your name? I mean, what should we call you?" Robin questioned. He was a detective.

"Couronne or Corie is fine."

Jinx narrowed her eyes at me, "That sounds kinda familiar… have we met before?"

"No." I shut that idea down as quickly as I could without appearing rushed. It wasn't really a lie, more like a half-truth. We _haven't _met before… but she's probably heard of me. The Kígyó family and Serpiente family weren't the least well known family around... I'd be surprised if she hadn't heard of my family.

I _hate_ my family.

"Are you sure you don't want some help? We dislike Slade as much as you do, trust me." Robin asked, a scowl twisting his features.

"It seems a little odd to bond over hatred, doesn't it?" I smirked.

"We bonded over our hatred of the government and scientists!" Avocet added oh-so-helpfully. I glared at her. "What? I'm just trying to help you make friends!"

She grinned at me, "We didn't bond over that. I saved your skin and gave you the pipe to contact me if you needed me." I spoke frostily. "I'm leaving."

And that's what I did.

"Wow, Rae, and I thought you didn't like people!" Beast Boy joked.

"Don't call me Rae." She muttered in her monotone voice before dropping a book on BB's head. A very thick, heavy, boring book, I might add.

"So… do we try to recruit her?" Kid Flash asked Robin. "She seems like a pretty powerful ally."

"She's definitely powerful." Avocet said.

Robin stared at the window she jumped through, "Yes."

* * *

**So? What did you think? I need feedback, PLEEEEASE!**

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**~Songbook12**


	5. Cold-Blooded Murder

**This is the last chapter! But there will be a sequel! And an epilogue!**

* * *

**Chapter 5- Cold-blooded Murder**

** 2:33 am, December 1, 2012**

I walked through the shadows of the dark alley. I love alleys. I really do. They've helped me escape so many people- no, escaped demons over the years. And not Raven's type of demon, or my type, but a whole different species of demons. A special breed of horrible.

They're called The Scientists.

They don't have names or faces. Only empty masks with smiling faces and a hell of a lot of sharp teeth. The Scientists is what I named them, because that's what they are. Scientists. And the name just stuck, because everything needs a name. There's nothing worse than dying without a name.

I was the only one of the Sisterhood (and the Brotherhood) to meet the Head Scientist. I didn't like him.

I still don't like him. And unfortunately, the Head Scientist _has_ another name, unlike the other Scientists.

He's got multiple, actually.

Deathstroke the Terminator.

Terminator.

Slade Joseph Wilson.

Slade.

"Ssssslade…" I hissed, in the most literal sense of the word. I only hiss when I'm very, _very_ unhappy. And the mice never liked an unhappy snake.

I could feel the shift coming on, the scales straining to break above my iron skin. I pursed my lips and pressed the mental button I built a looooooong while ago. It has two purposes- it stabilizes my powers and pulls the plug on my emotions. No emotions = stable powers. Simple equation.

I leapt nimbly unto the large building where I'd said I'd meet Slade. Despite my earlier trepidations, Avocet convinced me via her horrible pipe playing to help the Titans and myself and at least tell them where I'd be meeting Slade and when. I got annoyed with her after 12 hours of the horrible pipe playing and caved. Not really though, considering the fact that I like to have a backup plan, and I really can't see the harm in this. Worse comes to worse, I kill everyone in the surrounding area. Not the cleanest solution, and not the safest for me, but Avocet has probably warned them about that. She's seen me do some very nasty things to people who got in my way. Namely The Scientists, but what's a girl to do about that? _They _got in _my_ way. Not my problem! Not anymore!

Slade was standing on top of the roof, waiting for me in what I assumed was a patient manner.

"You're late." He said calmly. I pointed to a large billboard showing the time- 2:34 am.

"You're early." I responded. "The time was 2:35 am. I tend to cut things rather close. It's my thing, don't waste time sitting around when you've got better things to be doing."

"Someone's impatient."

I shrugged, walking a bit closer and leaning against the wall, "I blame it on the ADD, or maybe just the need to keep moving. Keep moving, keep busy, the usual. Anyways- enough about me, please explain your letter to Robin."

His lone eye narrowed, "You read the letter." It was a statement, not a question.

"I was _showed_ the letter. I choose what to do with that information, which was unfreeze Starfire." I specified, standing straight, no longer leaning against the wall, with my arms crossed in front of my chest. "I really don't like you telling people you control me. It's not a very smart move on your part, you know that."

The whole conversation was now personal. Very personal, very deep, and very little chance of the Titans understanding from here on out.

"We've been looking for you for a good 4 years, Couronne." He took a step forwards, trying to intimidate me. It didn't work.

"Yeah, and I've been moving along for a good 4 years. Only a month in every spot. Tell me- do The Scientists even know were you are? Does anyone? Or did you simply jump ship and follow me?" I questioned, my head tilting even so slightly to the side.

"I left, obviously. I could never quite catch up with you, turns out you were a good bit more cunning than we anticipated. While you took to the woods and left your so-called _family_ to rot, I had to come chase after you. That wasn't a very nice thing to do, Couronne."

"What can I say, Slade- I'm not a people person." I smiled thinly at him, "But really, if we're talking about not nice things, it wasn't very nice of you to torture children not yet old enough to defend themselves or give you what you want. They don't know how to use their powers and you expect them to be able to perfect something so easily that you don't even understand!" I accused.

"Dude, Robin," Beast Boy whispered in my ear, "What's she talking about?"

"I'm not sure…" I whispered. I fingered my extractable bo-staff, deciding whether or not we should interrupt.

"Don't understand? Why would I need to understand how a bunch of powers work? I don't care _how_ they work- I only care _that_ they work! You would know though, wouldn't you?" Slade shot back at her. An ugly grimace twisted Medusa's- or, Couronne's- lips. She slowly retorted as to avoid shouting,

"I do indeed know that better than anyone… but my powers always worked and I've had perfect control since I was a child. Being alone tends to give you a lot of free time, you know. It was my stubbornness and refusal to take orders that you were trying to beat out of me, not my powers."

"Yes, as we were always aware. There were plenty of lovely statues all over The Lab, though I'd never quite understood how you managed first to lure to scientists and then how you always managed to freeze them in a blind spot. Especially since we don't **have** any blind spots at The Lab, and there were no missing or destroyed cameras. Care to explain?"

She smiled sweetly at him, "Like you said, I'm a bit more cunning than you predicted."

For a second, they just stood in the quiet and stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. That single second stretched on forever, almost as though it would never end.

Then it ended with a bloodcurdling screech. We shielded our eyes and looked away. There was a noise that sounded like something being viciously smashed into pieces until a familiar voice pierced the silence.

"You can look now, for God's sake I thought you were _used_ to this kind of thing. Really!" she said, amused. Everyone looked up super fast, even for Kid Flash, and there was more than a good amount of neck snapping as everyone's gaze flew to the teen standing over the smashed stone pieces on the ground. One was close enough that I could identify it as a silver hand- what I assumed to be Slade's hand.

There was a pregnant pause before Corie spoke again.

"I can turn people into silver and some other metals, but not gold or diamond or any other gems." She offered up the information with a half-smile and a shrug.

Avocet ran over to her and enveloped her in a crushing hug, "OhmyGodIthoughthe'dkilledyoudon'tyoueverdaredotha tagainMedusaCorieKígyóIforbidit!" Avocet gasped.

"Hey, you know what's fun speaking? It's the awesome language called _English_! Try it sometime, works wonders on your people understanding what you say issues." Corie chuckled. Avocet blushed lightly and mumbled an apology.

I swung myself over the wall we'd been crouched next to, "How do you even know Slade? I'm guessing this isn't just from this one employment mission?"

She smirked, "Nah. But, I'm not going to talk about what we'd been talking about, in case you're going to ask. It's personal." She looked around, "X, you can come out now."

_'X? What does she mean by X?' _I thought. Red X landing next to Corie soon answered my questioned. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and told me, "She asked me to come to. I was up there." He pointed up to the taller building next to us. "It's a smarter position that what you guys had."

"So… where are we going now?" Corie asked, "I've still got about 27 days until I need to hightail it outta here."

"Dude let's go get pizza!" Beast Boy shouted.

"No, Beast Boy, why don't we just go-" I started

"Why not? I mean, wasn't this guy one of your major problems? And in case your worrying, I can still bring him back if needed to. He'll probably have some broken bones but alive is alive." BB pumped his fists into the air, happy that Corie was agreeing with him. Avocet ran over and whispered in my ear,

"If I were you, I'd give up now. It'll make your life much easier. She wins every argument, even with ME!" I blanched slightly at that. If this girl could beat Avocet in an argument, then I'm in BIIIIIIG trouble.

"Alright, fine. We can go get pizza!" I relented.

**12:17 am, December 27, 2012.**

"Please Friend Corie! Do not leave!" Starfire wailed as she clung onto Corie. BB was hanging onto her legs, preventing her from leaving. Corie looked slightly panicked. Especially since even _Raven_ asked her, in a very monotone voice, if she wanted to stay longer than a month.

"Guys, I really gotta go. Like, now. I never stay somewhere for over a month." She pleaded, trying to pry them off of her.

"Do you ever come back to the places you visit?" BB asked challengingly.

"Err… no. It's too easy then." She looked at me, "Please get them off me. Please." She begged. Red X chuckled beside me. He was now an official Teen Titans member, those he still stayed in his hideout place.

"Actually," I began, walking towards her, "we all took a vote and wanted to know if you would like to join to Teen Titans."

"By the way, everyone voted yes!" Avocet added, smiling at her. She looked a little uncomfortable,

"Uh, I think that's not a very good idea for specific reasons that I really can't tell you." She said nervously, still trying to force the other Titans to let go of her. She smiled thinly, "Anyone got a crowbar?"

"C'mon, it'll be fun! You can finally be part of a group!" Jinx cheered. Jinx and Corie had gotten rather close over the month she'd stayed with us. Corie winced at her statement,

"I'd rather not… My last group was not a very pleasant experience."

I held a Titan's communicator out to her, "We're not like your old group!"

She snorted, "Yah got that right… I'm not taking it. I'm leaving."

"If you need help or backup, you can call us." I persisted.

"I won't need backup. Never have."

"Take it anyways! If you ever need help, which I doubt you will, you can call us. Just… take it!" I pressed the communicator into her hands. She sighed,

"I'm still leaving!" she pointed out.

I chuckled, "I don't think Starfire and BB will let you leave."

Avocet ran over to her, bouncing up and down, "Look, now you've got a proper home! You can't go on 'vacation'," Avocet used air quotes on this, "straight away!"

"Just because I've got a home doesn't mean I'm going to stay in it. Maybe I'll visit later, but I've really gotta leave."

"Why?" Raven asked, making it almost seem like a statement.

Corie shrugged and waved her gloved hand, "Just doing a bit of running from my past. No biggie. Trust me, if you knew even a little about my past, you'd want me gone."

"You don't really strike me as the type to run from a problem." Raven told her from her spot next to Beast Boy on the couch, ignoring her last comment.

"It's a rather large problem."

Starfire hugged her tightly, "We will help you solve this problem of largeness! Stay, please!"

She sighed, as everyone else agreed and argued weakly, "Can't a loner stay a loner? Is that really too much to ask for?"

"Yes!" Starfire shouted in her ear. She flinched,

"Ouch, Starfire, eardrums. Really. I'll stay a little longer, but I legit can't stay somewhere longer than a month or else… I have some problems."

"Good. We'll go make you a permanent room then." I said satisfactorily.

"What is so hard to understand about 'I can't stay for long'? I won't need my own room!" she called over me, but I ignored her.

Looks like peer pressure _does_ always win.

* * *

**Epilogue! Right! I'll just... go post that.**

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**~Songbook12 **


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**3:09 pm, December 29, 2012.**

"Hi! Is Couronne here?" a young girl asked, no older than nine, with beautiful snow colored hair with light blue tips and blue bangs. Behind her stood two girls, one with dusty brown hair that was tied back in a loose ponytail and a girl with brown hair that fell in loose curls to her elbows.

"Um, yeah… Come on in!" BB stuttered as he moved to let the three very pretty girls pass him. The last one, the oldest with the brown hair, stopped and smiled before introducing them,

"I'm Oracle. Those are my Sisters, Clara and Gaea. The girl with white hair is Clara and the other one is Gaea. We know Medusa really well." She smiled before passing him by to go wait with the other girls for him to show them upstairs.

**3:08 pm, December 29, 2012. **

I very suddenly sat up straight as I felt three familiar energies approaching the Tower. I groaned, "Man, this is what I get for staying over a month."

"What do you mean?" Jinx asked, her head tilting to the side slightly.

"I mean, there are some mean people downstairs… Aw, shoot, I knew I shouldn't have stuck around."

Just then, three girls strode into the room, Beast Boy trailing behind them dazedly.

The youngest, Clara, ran over to Corie,

"Coriiiiiiiiiieeeee!" She squealed happily, clinging onto her waist. She stepped back with a huge grin on her face. The other girls approached with grins as well, though the smiles weren't happy smiles, more… smug. And a little predatory, which was definitely unsettling.

Oracle walked up to me and pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to me.

As I opened it, she recited,

"The Black Assassins, Brotherhood, and Sisterhood hereby declare war if Princess Medusa Couronne Kígyó of the Haven does not surrender and retake her original position before the Northward Equinox." She stated, then grinned at me,

"Just thought you'd wanna know. See you soon, Princess!" she then turned and promptly left, as did Clara, thought Gaea stayed.

"In case you were wondering, the Rule of Rose are still on the fence. They would have been under your rule, so, they'd listen to you. You'll want to start recruiting, we've already got a lot of people."

"I'm not dragging a bunch of kids into this!"

Gaea's face remained expressionless, "Did you know that there were survivors from the Haven? You are not the High Queen of the Haven, Couronne, and will not be until your father's death."

Medusa face went white as a sheet. Gaea nodded at her and followed the others out.

The Titans were finally shaken out of their confusion and Starfire asked, "Corie… What is happening?"

* * *

**That was a pretty long epilogue, I think.**

**Review to prove your Loyalty!**

**~Songbook12**


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